2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 Smartkey

77 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Global unlocking: Grasp an outside
door handle1.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic signal sounds once.

The locking knobs in the doors
move up.

The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.

The locator lighting will also come
on if it is dark and the feature is ac-
tivated in the control system
(
page 172).
The vehicle will lock again automatically
and rearm the anti-theft alarm system
within approximately 40 seconds of un-
locking if:

neither a door nor the trunk is opened

the central locking/unlocking switch is
not activated
Global locking: Close all doors and
touch outside of door handle1. Do
not keep your hand in the door handle
recess.
With the trunk and doors closed:

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

An acoustic signal sounds three
times.

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO so when you, grasp the driv-
er’s outside door handle only the driver’s
door and the fuel filler flap unlocks.
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 6 seconds un-
til battery check lamp5 (
page 73)
flashes twice.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO will
then function as follows:
Unlocking driver’s door and fuel fill-
er flap: Grasp the driver’s outside door
handle.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic signal sounds once.

The locking knob in the driver’s
door moves up.

The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
iThe vehicle could inadvertently be unlocked
if the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is within 3 ft
(1 m) of the vehicle and:

an outside door handle is splashed with wa-
ter, or

you attempt to clean an outside door handle.
iYou can also lock the vehicle using the
KEYLESS-GO lock button on trunk lid, if equipped
(
page 270).

78 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking

The locator lighting will also come
on if it is dark and the feature is ac-
tivated in the control system
(
page 172).
Global unlocking: Grasp any outside
door handle other than the driver’s out-
side door handle.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic signal sounds once.

The locking knobs in the doors
move up.

The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.

The locator lighting will also come
on if it is dark and the feature is ac-
tivated in the control system
(
page 172).
Global locking: Close all doors and
touch outside of a door handle1
(
page 76). Do not keep your hand in
the door handle recess.
With the trunk and doors closed:

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

An acoustic signal sounds three
times.

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting: Press
and hold buttonsŒ and‹ si-
multaneously for about 6 seconds until
battery check lamp5 (
page 73)
flashes twice.Checking batteries in the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only)
Press button‹ orŒ.
The battery check lamp (
page 70) or
(
page 73) comes on briefly to indi-
cate that the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO batteries are in or-
der.
iYou can also lock the vehicle using the
KEYLESS-GO lock button on trunk lid, if equipped
(
page 270).!If the battery check lamp does not come on
briefly during check, the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO batteries are discharged.
Replace the batteries (
page 428).
You can obtain the required batteries at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iIf the batteries are checked within signal
range of the vehicle, pressing button‹ or
Πwill lock or unlock the vehicle accordingly.


79 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Loss of the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only)
If you lose your SmartKey, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO or mechanical key, you
should do the following:
Have the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO deactivated at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Report the loss of the SmartKey,
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO or the
mechanical key immediately to your
car insurance company.
Have the mechanical lock replaced if
necessary.
Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
will be glad to supply you with a
replacement.
Opening doors from the inside
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
1Locking knob
2Inside door handle
iIf the vehicle has previously been locked
with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*, opening a
door from the inside will trigger the anti-theft
alarm system.
To cancel the alarm, do one of the following:

Insert the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch.

Press button Œ or ‹ on the SmartKey
or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

Grasp an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must be
within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(
page 84).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must be
inside the vehicle.
iIf you hear a warning signal you have
forgotten to switch off the low beam headlamps
or the parking lamps before opening the driver’s
door.
In addition the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch Off Lights or Re-
move Key
appears in the multifunction display
remove the SmartKey from the starter switch or
switch off the automatic headlamp mode.

81 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the doors and the
trunk from the inside using the central
locking or unlocking switch. This can be
useful, for example, if you want to lock the
vehicle before starting to drive.
The fuel filler flap will not be locked or un-
locked with the central locking or unlock-
ing switch, respectively.1Central unlocking switch
2Central locking switch
Unlocking: Press central unlocking
switch1.
The vehicle unlocks.
Locking: Press central locking
switch2.
If the front passenger door is closed,
the vehicle locks.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iYou can open a locked door from inside at
any time. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
If the vehicle was previously locked with the cen-
tral locking switch:

and the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is set to factory settings, the
complete vehicle is unlocked when a door is
opened from the inside

and the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is set to selective settings,
only the door opened from the inside is un-
locked
If the vehicle was previously centrally locked
with the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO*, it will
not unlock using the central unlocking switch.

82 Controls in detail
Starter switch positions
SmartKey
Starter switch
0For removing SmartKey1Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 374).
3Starting position
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Starting: Make sure
the gear selector lever is set to P.”
(
page 127).
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
should go out when the engine is running. This in-
dicates that the respective systems are opera-
tional.
iVehicles with automatic transmission*: The
SmartKey can only be removed from the starter
switch with the gear selector lever in positionP.
iIf the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it can
no longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
SmartKey from starter switch and reinsert.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the battery may not be sufficient-
ly charged.

Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(
page 446).

Get a jump start (page 451).
To prevent accelerated battery discharge or a
completely discharged battery, always remove
the SmartKey from the starter switch when the
engine is not in operation.

83 Controls in detail
Starter switch positions
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only)
Vehicles equipped with the KEYLESS-GO
feature are supplied with a SmartKey with
integrated KEYLESS-GO function and a re-
movable KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
With the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
inserted and the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO present in the vehicle, press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

without the brake pedal depressed
corresponds to the various starter
switch positions (
page 84)

with the brake pedal firmly depressed
will start the engine (
page 128)If you wish or should there be a need to in-
sert the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO in the
starter switch, the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button can be easily removed by pulling it
out of the starter switch.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
2Starter switch
Insert KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 into starter switch 2 (if not
inserted already).
iThe function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
iThe KEYLESS-GO start/stop button does
not need to be removed from the starter switch
when you leave the vehicle. However, always
take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you
when you leave the vehicle. As long as the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle, the
vehicle’s electrical systems can be switched on
or the engine can be started using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
iWhen you switch from SmartKey mode back
to KEYLESS-GO mode, the system requires
2 seconds of detection time before you can use
the KEYLESS-GO button as usual.


84 Controls in detail
Starter switch positions
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
toP.
Do not depress the brake pedal.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
(Canada only)
Position 0
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button, the vehicle’s on-board
electronics have status 0 (as with
SmartKey removed).Position 1
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment.
Ignition (or position 2)
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary. If a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 374).
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see “Starting: Make sure KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button is inserted in the starter
switch (e page 83).” (
page 128).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button

once again, the ignition (position2) is
switched on

twice, the power supply is again switched off
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power supply is
again switched off.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the indica-
tor and warning lamps (except high beam head-
lamp indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instrument cluster
come on. The indicator and warning lamps (ex-
cept high beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps if activated) should go
out when the engine is running. This indicates
that the respective systems are operational.


85 Controls in detail
Seats
Seats
Seat adjustment
Warning!G
All seat, head restraint adjustments, as well
as fastening of seat belts, must be done be-
fore the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide un-
der the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belts provide the best restraint when
the wearer is in a position that is as upright
as possible and seat belts are properly posi-
tioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:

Adjust the seat backrest until your arms
are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.

Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The po-
sition should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to properly oper-
ate controls.

Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports
the back of the head at eye level.

Never place hands under the seat or
near any moving parts while a seat is be-
ing adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) removed from
the starter switch or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) removed from
the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child’s unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.